The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER SATURDAY, JANUARY 29, 1916. ROUMANIAN ATTITUDE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIV, Issue 46, 29 January 1916, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER SATURDAY, JANUARY 29, 1916. ROUMANIAN ATTITUDE.

Ronmania’s attitude towards tlie war which, so far, has been rather puzzling is again discussed by a writer in the Fortnightly Review. Roumania, he says, sympathises with the Entente Powers, and knows that she has every thing to hope from their victory and everything to fear from their defeat. Why then, has she not thrown her sword into the scales before now ? The answer is that the great characteristic of Roumania’s foreign policy, ever since the advent of Prince Charles in 1866, has been caution. Roumanian statesmen naturally desire to join in the war at the right moment. Probably Rouraania would have been wisest in joining the Entente simultaneously with Italy. It is believed that she might have done so at the time when the Russian troops were over-running all Galicia, had the Allies been more generous in their terms. “Rut, perhaps, the Entente diplomats thought at that propitious moment that Roumania’s help was scarcely necessary, that no special effort was needed to gain her support.” It is also pointed out that strategically, Roumania is in an unfavorable position. She is hemmed in by Austrian, German, and Bulgarian troops. She can receive ammunition and other war material only from Russia, and that country may have little to span'. Still, before long the Balkan position may undergo a change which " ill make Roumanian intervention possible. Being almost isolated it is comprehensible that Roumania cannot afford to strike unless assured of victory. Ihe fortnightly writer, finally summarising the position, says: “Roumania can probably hol’d the mountain passes in the north and west against all comer's and detach a powerful army for operating towards the south. In such an operation she might be supported by a powerful Russian army. IVi Ol vtiling possible should be done to convince the Roumanians by the incontrovertible logic of facts that the Allies

will win, ami that it will he in tiieir own interests to join in while there is

time. It must be clear to all thinking Roumanians that they can win a greater Houmania only by their own exertions.”